Wednesday, September 29, 2010

For Me This is Heaven

Music has always been something I've treasured. I've used it to cheer me up. I've used it to sulk. I've used it to reminisce, cry, laugh, move, quote. It's always had a huge effect on me.

Sometimes I go through music ruts. I wait for new songs or artists and nothing shows us or impresses me. When this happens I revert back to oldies but goodies: Third Eye Blind, Tori Amos, Vanessa Carlton, and songs that make me think of college from The Starting Line, Finch, The Used, etc.

This Tuesday a new CD came out that got me excited about music again. Jimmy Eat World's Invented felt like a CD I haven't listened to in a while and seriously missed. I've been listening to JEW since high school and it's gotten me through some rough times. They always have a way of putting words to things I can't express. It always seems like the albums were written for me. Their songs are timeless and I will never get sick of hearing the intro to 23 or the Weatherford and Casey Moore's references in If You Don't, Dont (hey, I lived right there!). Nothing will remind me of sitting at the McConnell desk in college than A Sunday or Crush. In 2004, Polaris accompanied me on many solo drives in Flagstaff when I needed alone time to think.

Their new album isn't breakthrough or amazing or completely different from anything they've done, but that's why I love it. It's familiar and it speaks to me. And those connections that people have are the only things that should matter to musicians.

I'll gladly sing my Whooooaaaa-ohhh-oh-ohhhhhs on October 30th at the Marquee and feel tingly and teary-eyed when 23 is played.